The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1887-01-06
Washington Letter.

SideratiOn. ~
Washington Letter.
WASHINGTON, d. e., Dec 81, 1885.
The Congressional holiday vacation
will close next Tuesday, and the ses
sion will then re open. The Capitol
has been practically deserted by Con-
gressmen and visitors for the past
week, but on Thursday the remains of
Senator Logan were taken thither to
lie in state, and today the Senate
Chamber was the scene of his imposing
obse quies. Almost everybody promi-
eat in official and social circles here
was present, and a long procession of
citizens. civic and military organiza-
tions, in charge of General Sheridan
followed she deceased Senator to Rock
Creek Cemetery. For twenty four
hours preceding the funeral the Sena-
tors remains reposed on an historic
bier in the rotunda of the Capitol and
the public passed through to view
them. The bier was the same OH which
rested the remains of President Lin.
coin, Chief Justice Chase, President
Garfield, and Thaddeus Stevens.
There has been great deal of talk
among Illinois congressman in regard
to the political effect of Gen. Logan =
death. Said Representative Townsend
&" 1t will do more to throw the State
into the control of the Democracy than
any other event l can conceive OF" ."
The late Senator has been able to hold
his party together with more success
than any other man in the State, 10y
reason of his popularity among the
soldier elemen and with the masses OF
the people. Now that the Republi.
cans are without a strong leader in
Illinois, the Democrats have an excel.
lent chance of carrying the state al
the next election. As to the Senator
successor in the Senate, the two most
prominent aspirants are Gov. Oglesby
and ex- Congressman Farwell of Chi.
cagO,
1t is a singular coincidence that both
the candidates for Vice President in
1884 are dead, add both candidates for
President are, at this moment, suffer.
ing from the same malady. Strangely
enough, too, in the cases of Messrs.
Hendricks and Logan, the pail OF
mourning fell upon the holiday festiv.
tiles in their respective homes.
There is nothing in President Cleve.
lands condition to arouse any anxiety
on the part of the public, but he is
suffering from another attack OF
rheumatism. One of his knees is again
painfully involved, and for the | asst
week he has spent his time between
the bed and lounge. He has been ab,
staining frt III all unnecessary exertiOn
in the hope of being able, by such
care, to be up and ready to see the pee
pie on New Years Day.
The eyes of the whole country are
focused upon the action of Congress
upon the the Interstate Commerce bill
This bill presents square issue be-
tween the millions of producers and
consumers on the one side and the
greedy railroad cormorants on the
other. 1t is not proposed in this bill
to forbid the railway companies from
charging more per mile for a short
haul than for long one. People ex
pect to buy at wholesale for less than
at retail. The long and short of the
long and short haul provision is just
this, No railroad company shall
charge more dollars for carrying a ton
of freight half the distance between
two points than is charged for carry
ing the same ton of freight the whole
distance. AS much ~ $500 a car load
has been charged for freight to Nevada
from the East, when the freight on
the same through to Sacramento from
the same point East was only $500.
Whether the opposition of the rail.
roads to the Interstate Commerce bill
has anything to do with the opposition
of Senators to the Railroad Attorney
bill, is one of the latest conundrums al
the Capitol.
1t is easy enough to understand why
a member of Congress who is in receipt
of handsome retaining fees from q
subsidized railroad company should
be opposed to the Beck bill, for in case
of it's passage, he would be compelled
to resign his seat and retire from leg
islative life, or else terminate his pro.
fessional engagements with the cor
porations. The mere fact that Sen
ator or Representative is working 10
defeat this proposed legislation creates
warranta5le suspicion that if he is
not already in the service of the roads,
he expects to be, or is at least open to
solicitation. Senator Beck is trying
to render such scandalous impuLations
upon the good name of the Senate i'm
possible, and to facilitate the progress
of wholesome legislation.
There has been good deal of extra
session talk in connection with the
T. easury surplus problem. Many pub.
lie men believe, unless it can be salts.